Improvement in torpedoes for oil-wells



0. A MOCOY. Torpedo for Oii-Wells.

No; 196,815. Patented Nov. 6, 1877;

r INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS.

N-PETERS, PHDTD-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C- UNITED STATES PATENTQFFICE.

CHARLES A. MCCOY, OF EDENBURG, (KNOX P. O.,) PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TORPEDOES FOR OIL-WELLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,815, dated November6, 1877 application filed October 6, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. McOoY, of Edenburg, in the county ofClarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and ImprovedTorpedo, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to torpedoes which are especially designed foropening the fissures of oil-wells, and which are charged withnitroglycerine.

The nature of my invention and improvement consists in a cylindroconical vessel, which is adapted to contain nitro-glycerine, and whichis provided externally with annular elastic cushions, in combinationwith percussion-cap plungers, which are secured to a weight, andsuitably guided and arranged to strike upon anvils fixed inside of thesaid vessel, as will be hereinafter explained.

' In the annexed drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section through theshell and its attachments. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The letter A designates a cylinder, and B the frustum of a cone, forminga cylindroconical shell adapted to contain nitro-glycerinc.

This shell may be made of metal or other suitable material, and it issurrounded at each end, or at other suitable points, by bands d d, ofindia-rubber or other suitable elastic material, which form cushions toprevent concussions, which might prematurely explode the nitro-glycerinein the shell while lowering it in a well.

O O designate gutter-shaped guides, which are secured to the sh ell ABdiametrically opposite each other, and which may extend to the top ofthe well. These guides are designed to receive a cross -bar, a, which isfixed to a pointed weight, D, having a hook on its upper end for theattachment of a rope. To the lower end of this guided weight I securetwo rods, D D, which work in the guides O G, and which receivepercussion -caps b b on their lower ends.

When the weight D is allowed to drop suddenly, the caps 11 b will striketwo anvils, c c, and be exploded, which will explode the nitro-glycerinein the shell A B.

Should both percussion-caps fail to explode at the first trial, theweight, with its attached rods, can be drawn to the top of the well, and

other caps applied on the rods.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- In combination with the shell A B and guides O G,the weight D, crossbar a, rods D D, and anvils c 0, arranged to operatesubstantially in the manner described.

CHARLES A. MCCOY.

Witnesses:

ALBERT A. STEWART, M. L. W001).

